Gridlock News

Following the report in the New York Times report about allegations of John McCain's romantic and professional relationship with a major female telecom lobbyist, ABC has tracked down depositions by John McCain in relation to the Supreme Court case McConnell vs FEC.

The story threatens to harm McCain's image of a man of integrity, one summed up by his Dec. 31, 2007 campaign pledge to voters in New Hampshire: "I will never ever let you down."

Past statements by McCain are now subject to harsher scrutiny. In a Sept. 25, 2002, deposition in the Supreme Court case McConnell vs FEC, for instance, which challenged the constitutionality of the campaign finance reform law McCain had championed, McCain was asked about his flights on the Paxson communications corporate jet and whether Iseman was present.

Q: How many times did you fly in Mr. Paxson's jet in the time period surrounding the writing of these letters?

Video

McCain Camp Accuses Times of Smear

McCain: I don't know. I can provide the answer for the record.

Q: Do you recall if Mr. Paxson was ever on his company jet at any of the occasions when you were flying on it?

McCain: I don't recall. You can easily get the manifest, but I don't recall. I flew all over the country in those days, almost daily.

Q: Do you recall if Mr. Paxson's lobbyist accompanied you on any of the corporate jet trips that you took?

McCain: I do not recall. Again, I know it's a matter of public record.

The McCain campaign said this was evidence that Iseman and the trip were not of great importance to McCain.

Source Article - McCain Denies NYT Report

More Information on this story

This is one of the first reports adding to the New York Times article and hints that there may be more to come. That said, it is important to consider that the potential impropriety from the professional angle was investigated and led to a deposition in 2002, which so far has not led to any other major revelations about John McCain.

The influence of lobbyists over John McCain's Telecom votes and other Commerce Committee votes is much more important than questions of his marital fidelity. The New York Times has managed to intertwine the two issues together in one scandal, which makes the story much more personal for the people involved and might shake loose something more on the lobbyist side of the equation, if there is something to shake loose.

So far there is no smoking gun contribution or gold bangle receipts nor sullied blue dresses. . . .